APTA Expresses Dissatisfaction With Dr. Oz Show

APTA
issued a letter to
the producers of the Dr. Oz Show to express its dissatisfaction with the
show's recent segment on "Cutting-Edge Solutions for Back Pain." In
the letter, APTA President Paul A. Rockar, Jr, PT, DPT, MS, points out that, "While
modalities may be used by physical therapists as part of an overall treatment
plan, the focus of physical therapy treatment for back pain is on
evidence-based exercises to improve strength and flexibility, manual therapy to
improve the mobility of joints and soft tissues, and patient education on ways
to enhance recovery, prevent and relieve pain, and avoid recurrence."

Comments

Thank you for responding to this ridiculous segment. Now, let's push to have PT's on Dr. Oz to truly set the record straight.

Posted by Jody Swimmer, PT, DPT, MAT
on 2/8/2013 7:12 AM

Thank you! If I had a nickel for every time a patient came in and stated: "Well, Dr. Oz said..." I'd be set for life.

Posted by Devon
on 2/8/2013 10:12 AM

Unbelievable! Thank you APTA!

Posted by Dr R
on 2/8/2013 4:14 PM

I have to agree to this. The show was a misrepresentation of what physical therapists do.

Posted by Girish Padmanabhan
on 2/8/2013 4:15 PM

Thank you APTA!

Posted by Aaron LeBauer
on 2/8/2013 4:28 PM

I watched the show and it was horrible. They presented as "breakthrough" treatment application of Tiger Balm patches.
I am glad that APTA got to complain. Dr Oz should do his homework a bit better and the therapist who went on the show she should consider taking some manual therapy classes to identify alternatives to ultrasound and Tigee Balm patches.

Posted by DR DIMITRIOS KOSTOPOULOS
on 2/8/2013 4:31 PM

Good APTA is expressing a comment on back pain. However I would disagree with the inference that improving back muscle strength cures back pain. Yes for improving ab tone,but back pain is a facet joint mechanical strain causing a synovitic reaction in the facet joint, in the absence of discal neurological symptoms. If Olympic athletes who are supremely fit and strong injure their backs,this calls into question the strength issue.I have been around for 50 in spinal practice and have yet to see a "muscular" back pain. John Bonica CMP,NZRP,PT

Posted by john bonica
on 2/8/2013 4:50 PM

The show misrepresented what we do as therapists and to have it view on national TV was degrading to our profession. Thank you for making the statement!

Posted by Paula Webster
on 2/8/2013 5:05 PM

Why do we continually have to explain ourselves with this evidence based nonsense jargon! The treatment we use to help patients has been around a very long time! Use what works and call it what it is "STRETCHING AND STREGNTHENING PERIOD!!!!" Lets not pretend we are doing something sophisticated when its really not!!

Posted by michael
on 2/8/2013 5:07 PM

It seems that patients are accepting Dr. Oz as the guru of everything. The questions that patients are bringing to each session about what Dr. Oz says can be exasperating but that is what we do - we answer patient's questions and help them understand the benefits of flexibility, mobility and strengthening will take them the distance! Thank you, APTA for supporting the PT's who are trying to make a difference in each and every patient that we treat.

Posted by Susan
on 2/9/2013 9:22 AM

@michael......we do more than stretching and strenghtening. If you think that is all we do, than we are no better than personal trainers. There is clear evidence through research that low back pain is a biomechanical dysfunction. There needs to be skilled treatment (joint mobilization/manipulation/soft tissue work/dry needling/stabilization ex/ect). The therapist uses research to justify what we do from the groups that make claims without evidence (tiger balm). Dr. Oz needs to learn this lesson as well.......we should puah to have a qualified PT on his show to properly educate him and the public. We are the experts in muskuloskeletal dysfunction and need to stand on that!

Posted by Seth
on 2/9/2013 9:45 AM

The Feb 4, 2013 issue of The New Yorker had an profile of Dr. Oz entitled THE OPERATOR which is very interesting reading.

Posted by Judith Damerow
on 2/9/2013 12:58 PM

I had a patient who filled out an online survey after that show. She reported positively that she does have back pain on this survey. Soon thereafter, she received a back brace and a spring-loaded sit-to-stand assist lift for her chair. Medicare got billed $1500 for the lot without her consent. Please caution your patients not to fill out Dr Oz's surveys!

Posted by Ann Marie Lowers
on 2/10/2013 8:21 AM

In agreement with Michael. joint mobilization/ manipulation/ soft tissue work/ posture re education including stretching and strengthening, workstation ergonomics etc. are all part of "skilled therapy" Biomechanical dysfunction requires all, many or some of the above approaches. If it were only Stretching and strengthening we used and it truly worked back pain would be greatly decreased. However I got your point Michael. We spend years perfecting techniques and then form the most educated approach for a particular case which takes expertise . I feel like Dr. Oz on so many issues is the "GOD" according to many who watch him and I too am disappointed he did not do his homework better, unfortunately many are ill informed.

Posted by Tara Dawn Bach - Martinez, DPT
on 2/10/2013 9:33 AM

This issue with Dr. Oz is another example of the same problem that has plagued our profession for a long time. I have been a PT for 35 years. Back in the day there was an uproar over how PT was represented on an episode of "Charlie's Angles". I'm sure many of you remember. In my view the problem is this: While all of us rightly value, have high respect and regard for PT and positively know the impact we have on peoples' lives, we think everyone else has or should have the same opinion. We believe the care we provide speaks for our value and it does; but it's not our patients we need to convince, it's the people we don't treat. For the most part, PT is off the radar of the general public. Chiropractors, exercise physiologists, massage therapists, athletic and personal trainers are well known. We must ask ourselves, why

Posted by Mark Macri PT, DPT, MS, OCS
on 2/10/2013 9:35 AM

I am glad that the APTA made a statement about this show, but feel that the APTA is totally misdirecting its energy about this. I watched the outtakes on the show on Dr. Oz's website , and it was not just about US and tiger balm but also about how exercise and flexibility addresses back pain. I do believe that the Dr. Oz show should have done its homework and then would have possibly directed questions towards manual therapy, neuromuscular and postural reed etc as to how to treat lower back pain. I would like to see the APTA ask to come on the air with Dr. Oz vs issue a statement, and educate him as to what we do in total, so that he really understands the full scope of our profession.
I understand that there have been a lot of people "outraged" about this show but the outrage needs to be about how little we do get reimbursed from insurance companies. And, to do a much better job of getting PTs into the media and explaining and demonstrating what we do and are capable of doing in not only in the area of musculoskeletal treatment but how about neuro rehab, pediatric rehab etc.
When this segment was on TV it was around the time that the breakthrough full arm transplant at Johns Hopkins was announced in the media. Why we as physical therapists and the importance of the role of physical therapists in amputee rehab was not addressed in the news is something that the APTA needs to look at and address internally. It seems to me, that the APTA needs to be much more proactive vs reactive in its approach to getting the word out about our profession in the media.

Posted by Tamar
on 2/10/2013 10:02 AM

For Tamar...
We all need to be more proactive instead of reactive. We are the APTA. It is not some entity separate from us.
For Mark Macri...
Great point in that it is not ourselves or our patients we need to convince...it is the people we do not treat. This requires an on-going Branding process. This was started and needs to continue since it takes time to create and nurture a Brand. Further, we all influence and affect our Brand as Physical Therapists.
On a side note, in my opinion, our 'Brand' is very good which is why we are on the list of 'Best Jobs' by US News and others.
For Michael...
What we do IS special. Does it include Stretching and Strengthening? It depends. Even so, the stretch or strengthening we choose is (should be) based upon our clinical decision making process. Our knowledge supports this process. And, it is our knowledge that must be continually updated with the evidence available, especially since the evidence itself is always being updated.
For all...
One challenge we have is to practice using the latest evidence, including recognizing that our experience is one level of that evidence.
Thanks for the opportunity to share a few thoughts.
Bob

Posted by Robert "Bob" Latz, PT, DPT, CHCIO
on 2/11/2013 6:25 PM

I've been a Physio for 25 years and take the very successful approach (for me) in addressing movement dysfunction along with postural and ergonomic fitness as the real issues around back pain. I've also taken a step in a different direction in the language I use and have stopped talking about back pain and, have instead, encouraged a dialog of enhancing back health. Too much of modern health care is disease focused instead of health focused. In addressing the root cause of movement dysfunction and therefore correcting it then teaching correct postural and ergonomic fitness I never have to see my clients again except for new injuries. I only use the modalities of ice and vibration but skilled Physio for trigger point release is sometimes essential. We need to establish ourselves as the experts, above Physicians, in the field of musculoskeletal rehabilitation, so thank you APTA for your support. Karen